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About this project

Hi! My name is Annie Coburn, and I want to make a movie about the revenge of the roadkill. Five Points is about the little guy rising up against the big guy. It’s David and Goliath. It’s like the sports movie with the little team that overcomes through sheer heart meets the Dirty Dozen.

In Five Points, Derrick is crunching cute little squirrels under his pick up truck for the fun of it. Fed up, a badger calls forth supernatural powers to raise the dead bunnies and squirrels, and the Zombie Squirrel Brigade comes to life. They throw the guy out of his truck and (with a steep learning curve) chase him down the road in his own car. Suddenly they see a red light, and because they are a law-abiding zombie squirrel brigade, come to a complete stop. The guy runs through the light and taunts them—not seeing the oncoming flock of bicycles. He dodges them, celebrates, and gets squashed by a huge truck. The zombies slap paw, having taken down at least one reckless driver (with really bad hair).

I've been planning this movie for some time. So that you can see the basic underpinning, here's an animatic I did of the story (half animation, half storyboard).

We're now going to do it live-action, with puppets for the zombie squirrels and potentially a monster truck. I have a lot of reasons to want to make this film. I love underdog stories. I hate reckless drivers. I really like squirrels. I’ve lost family members to car accidents. But why should you help this movie? Well, for one thing: PUPPET. ZOMBIE. SQUIRRELS. It’s like muppets coming back from the dead and turning into Clint Eastwood! You’ll be a part of making that a reality! But your assistance is absolutely necessary to create these puppets—just one puppet costs $750. Every dollar that you donate goes directly to making this film, to creating the puppets, paying for camera costs, transportation, and the labor of talented artists.

Independent film is a perilous business, but by donating, you’re helping artists create something new and funny. You’re part of a community of people that want to make the world a little better, just by making something new and awesome that’ll make people laugh.

And every dollar helps, every dollar counts. Kickstarter helped me to make my first real short film, “Pretty All the Time.” That film is now at Cleveland International Film Festival, and will hopefully be at other festivals in the upcoming year. People like you did that, just by donating. Thank you so much, and I hope that you can join me in making this movie.

Our Timeline (and Why Five Points Costs This Much):

We are trying to raise $10,000. This sounds like a lot of money, but your assistance will help to make sure that people working on the film are paid, and will help with equipment rental, creating the puppets, transportation, and food. It’s 100 people giving $100. (Conversely, 1,000 people giving $10 each would also be very helpful!)

Once we have the money in hand, thanks to you, we start making the puppets. This takes 6 weeks, and costs approximately $750 per puppet. During that time, I'll be storyboarding and hiring crew. My producer, Mike Hyde, will be arranging insurance and making sure that we've got all of our logistical details covered. When all of that is in place, approximately mid-July, we'll shoot. And the shoot is exciting, but it's just one part of a long process. We then edit, color correct, score the film, and sound edit it. We've done it before, with "Pretty All the Time," and so we know that to make a great movie it takes time and resources. We are determined to pay people up front. Every person involved in this project is professional, skilled, and loves what they do. They should be paid for it.

We also have two more short films with Derrick, Jenny, and members of the Zombie Squirrel Brigade planned. But first, we need the puppets and to make "Five Points" a reality.

Thank you so much for considering supporting us! We REALLY appreciate it.

Rewards

Pledge $1 or more

Pledge $15 or more

A Five Points button, your name in the credits, and our eternal thanks. Angels will whisper your name among the stars.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

You selected

Pledge $25 or more

31 backers

A Five Points digital download, button, your name in the credits, and our eternal thanks. You, good sir, madam, or gender-neutral respectful pronoun, are a dazzling soul.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

You selected

Pledge $50 or more

22 backers

A Five Points DVD, a button, your name in the credits, and our eternal thanks. Hosannas! You are a delicately-bred and thoroughly decent human being, a paragon who is much better than almost everyone.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

You selected

Pledge $100 or more

17 backers

A still from the movie, a Five Points DVD, a button, your name in the credits, and our eternal thanks. I don't have words to express your rock-star amazingness. Except to acknowledge your rock-star amazingness.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

You selected

Pledge $250 or more

2 backers

A T-Shirt, a Five Points DVD, a button, your name in the credits, and our eternal thanks. Your delightfulness brightens rooms, and our hearts glow with thanks.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

You selected

Pledge $500 or more

1 backer

I will make you the candy of your choice (Buckeyes are very nice). You will also get a copy of "Pretty All the Time," a T-Shirt, a Five Points DVD, a button, your name in the credits, and our eternal thanks. You are incredibly super nice, and I'd really like to thank you enormous amounts.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

You selected

Pledge $1,000 or more

1 backer

You get one of our puppets when we're done shooting our film, for your very own. You also get the candy of your choice, an associate producer credit, a copy of "Pretty All the Time," a T-Shirt, a Five Points DVD, a button, your name in the credits, and our eternal thanks. Really, we can't thank you enough. A contribution of $1,000 will go a long way to getting this movie made.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

You selected

Pledge $5,000 or more

0 backers

I will sing you a song of gratitude (unless you can't stand vocal music). You'll also get one of our puppets, the candy of your choice, an executive producer credit, a copy of "Pretty All the Time," a T-Shirt, a Five Points DVD, a button, and your name in the credits. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so glad that you're moved to donate this money. You are an amazing person.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

Funding period

Apr 19, 2012 - May 20, 2012
(31 days)

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